Prototyping handle scales on the VMC!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 พ.ย. 2024
- For more information on my hunting / camping / survival knives: store.goughcust...
I'm working my way through designing and prototyping each part of the new Resolute with the help of the VMC!
Over the weekend I worked on the fixturing and toolpaths for the handle scales... After almost 3 days of programming I got this. It's not anywhere near optimized, but it's already just unbelievably quick!
The resulting scales were nearly perfect, after some minor tweaks they should be bang on!
Wow. I've just watched your recent VMC vids back to back. Your attention to detail is quite impressive. First, the overhaul, then the perfect blue chips on your FIRST cut! Then, on the handles you 'roll in' your approach with the fly cutter/shaper! These are not rookie moves! I don't think some viewers appreciate the background work that goes into creating a product: the research, conceptualization, prototyping, planning of operations, fixturing, testing, yes drawing in CAD, tweaking programs, selecting tools and paths and cutters by material. It's not point , click and out pops a product. It's like building a ship in a bottle, using a machine the size and lethality of a great white shark. Kudos to you.
+braxtonec Thanks mate! Clearly you've had to tackle some of these problems yourself, as it's not really something anyone can appreciate without having very close exposure to it!
So far fixturing has proven to be the biggest challenge. I thought up front that the handle scales would be difficult but they've turned out to be the easiest part of the project simply because the fixturing is straight forward.. They're bolted down using blind tapped holes on the underside then all the features can be machined in one shot!
The blades themselves are so much more difficult. The edge of the blade is only 0.012" thick and trying to fixture that adequately to allow machining has been quite a challenge. I have made progress in the past week with a new fixture that uses edge clamps and a close cutout of the blade, but more work is still necessary, including more work on the VMC to replace the spindle (which has runout) and the ballscrews (which have lost motion).
Hope you've enjoyed the videos!
Gough Custom I figured they were blind holds, which work in small numbers and a single setup, but can become cumbersome when you add more parts due to the potential for an interruption of some kind before the run completes. Haven't made scales and can't say that I wouldn't tackle them in the same way myself. If I ever do, I may put index locations on the top side for re start locating and use G52 to copy the moves in sets/rows so I can 'turn off' moves over the empties or skip ahead to new loc. Regarding blades, I haven't made those either, but I have cut thin unsupported metals and suffered the consequences ;). I ended up creating a B side fixture that the A sides flip onto and get support from behind to prevent vibration cuts. It drammatically improved the outcome. I've made lots and lots of 'learning opportinities' and keep them in a bin to remind me. Good luck with the spindle. I've just recently discovered instagram and may even sign up so it will feed me updates. Will go check it for your more recents.
+braxtonec Hey mate!
Generally if I have an interruption I just restart the program and let it machine air around the existing parts. My tolerances are close but not insane so that seems to have worked fine!
I will be releasing a new video either today or tomorrow that details the optimized handle scale process, so keep an eye out!
Excellence and continued quest for quality perfection. Amazing how far you have come based on a foundation of intimate hands on skill and passion. These are the men who inspire us with a passion for perfection. Thank you, once again, for sharing the ride with us!
+Gerald West Thanks very much Gerald! I just completed the first batch of knives using all the CNC processes I've been developing! I filmed everything as I went along and will be making a video from it all soon!
Gough Custom
Outstanding, certainly looking forward to the video. The very best to you and yours.
Hi Aaron, nice to see some actual work being done with your newly cleaned up CNC!
warren buitandag Thanks Warren! It's very gratifying to see it doing real work!
Love those green handles. Kind of random; I'm a school bus driver, and every day I pass a house with a door painted a very similar green color and it makes me think of your sweet-looking knives ever since watching your "how to sharpen a knife" vid.
Haha, nice mate! Thanks for watching!
Hey Aaron,
very nice video. I love the variety of knives and knifemaking on TH-cam. Sometimes you can see a knife made with a CNC machine, in other videos it's done with no power tools or sophisticated equipment what so ever. It's always fascinating to me how humans basicly turn ore into steel and see steel being transformed into a tool that does so much. A tool, the only tool I know of, that still cannot be replaced or improved upon.
Greetings from germany,
Soly
Thanks mate! I agree with you and it's a big part of why i find knives fascinating!
Very interesting video. I've seen a lot of CNC machining, but most of it was on boring industrial products. Watching the birth of knife parts is much more interesting! Excellent video quality!
+62shalaka Thanks mate! Not sure if you've seen it but a few weeks ago I released a video showing the production version of this part in full swing! I will be releasing a video showing how the blade is made within a day or two as well!
Very cool Aaron, mesmerizing to watch, I love this stuff. Congrats on your progress and your shop setup, I always look forward to and recommend your videos!
Thanks very much mate!
Hi Aaron
Glad the VMC is making chips on a most worthwhile mannor.
Great work thanks for posting.
I cannot wait to see what you can produce with CNC and your skills combined.
Regards Mark
Over the pond in the UK
Mark Parkinson Thanks mate!
Your videos and video editing skills are as strong as your CNC / knife making talents. Keep up the great work!
+Jeff Hamer Thanks very much Jeff! Both sides definitely take a lot of my time!
Just awesome!! so quick, its been very cool watching you work come from hand tools to this. excellent work mate
SharpStuffau dwayne Thanks very much mate! It's been a very fun journey so far!
how did you get the material to stay in place?
I think Superglue :)
My guess would be by pinning and screwing bottom onto fixture. You OP 1 the bottom side to have 2 locating holes and a couple of blind screw holes. You screw the parts to the aluminum piece (that holds it down) while the pins keep it from sliding from side to side. Other option is a vacuum on the flat bottom but that only works if it is also pinned or else side load would slide it off the fixture.
Awsome! Congratulations ! I'm looking forward to get one of those! When are you going to reopen the orders requests again?
It looks like your cutter speeds are higher than your rapids lol. Awesome machine you've got there, the hard work payed off.
Yeah nothing was even slightly optimized in this video, the prices is very slow! If you check out the newer handle video you can see how much more efficient it is now!
That 88HS control has no trouble handling those high speed tool paths, but then that was one of the fastest controls anywhere at that time; it has a separate 8086 processor for each axis plus an 80286 front-end processor.
douro20 I've been very impressed with the control so far. It has a couple of quirks, but overall seems to run very well!
Wow this machine !!! It was well worth the makeover you have it buddy
smugBBQ Thanks mate! This toolpath is not even optimized yet! It will be much faster once I've got it optimized!
Hi Aaron, nice work with restoring and programing the CNC machine. Will bevels be cnc cut also?
Can't wait for the day you make folders :D. I'll most likely try to get one.
pegbster Thanks mate! I will definitely be looking into folders as soon as I can!
***** Thanks mate! Not sure what lock I'll be using yet, my favourite so far is just the plain old liner lock, but we'll see!
***** Unfortnately no! I'm sure there must be a lot of locks out there that I haven't tried yet!
I don't think he'd be allowed to use their locking system without a license since it is copyrighted by Cold Steel.
pegbster Of course, but many companies will license their locks and so on to small makers.
Nice work Aaron its cool to see how much your methods have changed keep up the good work!... Oh yeah i have always wondered why are your pins offset??
Thanks mate! The pins are offset simply because I prefer how it looks!
Niiiiiice, Aaron film more of this!! How is the new machine working out? Pretty good by the looks of it
TheShedStudios Thanks mate! The new machine is working very well so far! Will definitely be taking a lot more video of it soon!
Absolutely fantastic. Looking forward to more videos!
TheOxanian Thanks mate!
Nice! I've always been wondering how this thing works? Do you give it start shape and end shape and let it do its job or user has to program whole thing in particular order?
Hey mate! You have to program all the movements of the machine as well as the tool changes and so on... however there is software that you run on a different computer that helps with the programming.
Hey Aaron, interesting tool paths. Glad to see the progress coming along nicely. When you restored the machine, did you have to replace all of its tools?
Ian Morrow Hey Ian! The machine actually didn't come with any tools or toolholders, so I had to buy all new toolholders for it... The tools themselves are setup and loaded for the program, so they're specific to my needs.
Holy crap, thats a thing of beauty that!
***** Thanks mate! Definitely very pleased with how it's working so far!
Awesome stuff....keep the videos coming! Folders please!!!
Christopher Walton Thanks Christopher! Hopefully I will be getting into folders later in the year!
What programs did you use to blueprint and code? Congrats on turning your hobby into your job. thats the dream right?
Wow Aaron, 6 minutes a pair compared to probably a 1/2 day by hand! A lot less finish work it appears too? The custom profiler was great, does it have inserts or a single tool? The other looked to be a 60º cutter of some kind and put a nice finish to the edge. You've sure come a couple 100 leagues since the hacksaw and propane torch days!! Congratulations...Outstanding! ~PJ
Thanks PJ! The radius tool has brazed carbide cutting edges. I'm hoping to get to the point where virtually no finish work is needed!
Absolutely awesome. You still going to call these handmade knives though?
No, definitely not. I've changed my tag line to 'high performance working knives' rather than 'hand made knives', if there are any places you see the old tag line (besides on my old videos) please let me know!
wicked just wicked, freakin love your work. one day ill try to order one .
Thanks very much Shane!
Super jealous !! Love good tools
Thanks Shaun!! This machine has certainly served me well! Still running every day
do you anticipate a time frame that you'll have production up and taking orders?
within 2 months!
Gough Custom
Awesome! Hopefully I can claim one of your first orders!
You should show how you make the program G Code
It's nice to watch the CNC run the part but how you got the cutter path to make the part is also something some need to see to help them learn
How to run a CNC mill and it seems the TH-cam channels I watch that do have more people watching their channel
David Talley I would like to do an 'intro to CNC' video at some point, just need to find the time!
Nicely done. What is holding the G10 onto the tool?
+Belnap Custom Knives (Courage and Foresight with God's Aide) Thanks mate! There are blind holes drilled and tapped on the underside of the G10, which allows it to be bolted down to the fixture.
Your thoughts please on why the pun holes are not equally spaced?
Largely because it looks better!
Hi Mr. Gough- Will you still be making Hand Made Knives?
George Temblique Hey George! More than likely most of my knives from now on will be made at least partially with the help of CNC, I don't plan to make any fully hand-made knives. The reason for this is that I really do believe that I'll be making better knives with the help of CNC, and I want to make the best knives I possibly can!
Could you program what cuts it does in a specific order? You might be able to speed up the process by re-ordering the cuts so there is less movement and downtime.
+Dylan Cyr You can yes, the program shown in this video was just an initial experimentation... If you check out my newest videos you can see the optimized toolpath.
Of course, one step ahead of the game!
+Dylan Cyr I try my best :)
OK, THAT'S MORE THAN A LITTLE COOL!
Jason Johnson Thanks Jason! Wait until you see the new optimized version of this process!
Gough Custom can't wait!
Would be nice to countersink the lanyard hole
Toni Diaz I will probably do a trace chamfer around the lanyard hole. These will require some hand finishing anyway.
What software are you using and how much dose it cost
David Talley I use Fusion 360 for CAD/CAM the basic version is $30/month.
New Resolute? :o Do you have other designs?
Sinoncad Just the Resolute for the moment, the new version will actually be replacing both the previous 4" and 5" versions of the Resolute!
I'd like to get into folders at some point as well, but I think that's a while off yet...
Maybe you could make a mold and cast the handles with resin. Way faster...
Toni Diaz It's something I have considered. My decision was that if I was going to do that it would be for a different knife design that would have a one piece molded in place handle. Might still be something that I tackle in the future.
Needs MOAR G0!
bobbitay Haha, yeah for sure! The final production toolpaths are a LOT faster.
which plastic you use
+Cyril Moser Hey Cyril! It's a composite material called G10.
Did you do the G-Code by hand ?
Jørgen Hansen Hey Jørgen! Parts of it were modified by hand, but the bulk of it was made using a program called Fusion 360. Most of it is simply too complicated to do by hand in any reasonable amount of time...
Thanks for answer, great work you made, also with the machine. (Y)
Jørgen Hansen Thanks mate!
5:36 ahhh soo satisfying
Cang Cimen It was pretty cool seeing them come off the machine almost ready!
What the material is this? Plastic?
+Carlucio Linhares (Fotografiafantástica) Hey mate! It's a composite material called G10 that's made from fibreglass and epoxy resin.
Thanks budy. You are the best.
Is that G10?
Yes sir!
can you make a karambit?
Guy Friedman Hey Guy! I probably could make one, but they're not a type of knife I personally like so I'm unlikely to do so unfortunately... Sorry mate!
okay
Very Nice
Simon Isaksson Thanks Simon!
If you automate the manufacturing process to this degree, what special about your knives anymore?
actionmethod Same things that made them special before: extreme attention to detail, exceptional quality and performance, thorough testing and complete documentation of the process.
Gough Custom That's a nice and clear vision statement.
actionmethod Thanks mate! I really do think automation will let me execute those goals more completely than I would be able to by hand, particularly if I want to be able to keep my prices the same!
Gough Custom No longer becomes a handmade knife.. Now it becomes another machined knife. Great detail and quality, but it no longer has the handmade feel...
***** Thanks John!
Great work, even though i dont like that you mill the blades too. Other than that nice work, you could optimize the programm cycle towards circling in the final shape
Thanks! I will be uploading a new video soon showing my vastly improved process for both the handles and the blades... Looking forward to releasing that!
It is not about the process, honestly your knifes just look sorted. They look perfect and obviously are great products. But in my world knifes just have to be ground down. That might be a mistake i have in my mind, and there is nothing bad with shaping the handle and the grips on the cnc, but the blade itself should be ground. That has nothing to do with the quality and both are technically just removing stock, but i feel like it is different ^^
Well, so much for "hand made" knives...:(
MMU goal was always to make the best knives possible, using the most efficient tools i could get... This is just another step on both those roads!